diff --git a/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-glow.js b/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-glow.js
index d02df40..a3d9e8b 100644
--- a/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-glow.js
+++ b/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-glow.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 (function () {
     'use strict';
 
-    var OUR_CLASSES = ['voice-glow', 'voice-pulse', 'voice-pulse--fast'];
+    var OUR_CLASSES = ['voice-glow', 'voice-pulse', 'voice-eq', 'voice-muted'];
 
     function bindVoiceGlow() {
         var burger = document.getElementById('id_burger_btn');
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@
 
         var inCall = false;
         var peerCount = 0;
+        var muted = false;
         var observers = [];
+        var _raf = 0;
 
         // Reconcile el's OUR_CLASSES to exactly `want` — only mutate on an
         // actual diff so the MutationObserver below doesn't loop on our own
@@ -57,8 +59,16 @@
                 var burgerOpen = burger.classList.contains('active');
                 var live = inCall || voice.classList.contains('in-call');
                 if (live) {
-                    var pulse = peerCount > 0 ? 'voice-pulse--fast' : 'voice-pulse';
-                    (burgerOpen ? voiceWant : burgerWant).push('voice-glow', pulse);
+                    // Mic live → the glow lands on the showing surface (voice
+                    // sub-btn fan-open, burger fan-closed). Others connected →
+                    // a volume-reactive equalizer (.voice-eq, fed --voice-level
+                    // by the RAF loop); alone → a steady pulse. Muted recolors
+                    // the lot to --priRd + flips the sub-btn icon to .fa-ban
+                    // (the "disconnected from talking" cue, item 7).
+                    var want = ['voice-glow', peerCount > 0 ? 'voice-eq' : 'voice-pulse'];
+                    if (muted) want.push('voice-muted');
+                    var arr = burgerOpen ? voiceWant : burgerWant;
+                    want.forEach(function (c) { arr.push(c); });
                 } else {
                     var seaGlow = (sea && sea.classList.contains('glow-handoff'))
                                   || burger.classList.contains('glow-handoff');
@@ -69,17 +79,45 @@
 
             _apply(voice, voiceWant);
             _apply(burger, burgerWant);
+            _ensureEqLoop();
+        }
+
+        // While an .voice-eq surface is showing, drive its --voice-level CSS
+        // var off the mesh's incoming RMS each frame (the glow box-shadow
+        // scales with it). Self-stops when no .voice-eq remains.
+        function _eqTick() {
+            var lvl = (window.VoiceRoom && window.VoiceRoom.inputLevel)
+                ? window.VoiceRoom.inputLevel() : 0;
+            var anyEq = false;
+            [voice, burger].forEach(function (el) {
+                if (el.classList.contains('voice-eq')) {
+                    el.style.setProperty('--voice-level', lvl.toFixed(3));
+                    anyEq = true;
+                } else {
+                    el.style.removeProperty('--voice-level');
+                }
+            });
+            _raf = (anyEq && typeof requestAnimationFrame === 'function')
+                ? requestAnimationFrame(_eqTick) : 0;
+        }
+
+        function _ensureEqLoop() {
+            var anyEq = voice.classList.contains('voice-eq')
+                     || burger.classList.contains('voice-eq');
+            if (anyEq && !_raf && typeof requestAnimationFrame === 'function') {
+                _raf = requestAnimationFrame(_eqTick);
+            }
         }
 
         function setVoiceState(st) {
             st = st || {};
             inCall = !!st.inCall;
             peerCount = st.peerCount || 0;
+            muted = inCall && !!st.muted;
             // Keep the voice btn's own flags in sync with the mesh truth so a
             // rejoin starts clean (dataset.inCall gates join-vs-mute in
             // burger-btn.js) and the render fallback can't get stuck "live".
             voice.classList.toggle('in-call', inCall);
-            voice.classList.toggle('muted', inCall && !!st.muted);
             if (!inCall) { delete voice.dataset.inCall; }
             render();
         }
@@ -118,6 +156,10 @@
             destroy: function () {
                 observers.forEach(function (o) { o.disconnect(); });
                 observers = [];
+                if (_raf && typeof cancelAnimationFrame === 'function') {
+                    cancelAnimationFrame(_raf);
+                }
+                _raf = 0;
             },
         };
     }
diff --git a/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-mesh.js b/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-mesh.js
index 5a00f04..0d4d325 100644
--- a/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-mesh.js
+++ b/src/apps/voice/static/apps/voice/voice-mesh.js
@@ -44,8 +44,59 @@
         // burger/voice-btn glow machine off it). Fired on join, every peer
         // add/drop, mute toggle, and teardown.
         this._onState = null;
+        // Web Audio analysers per peer — power the volume-reactive equalizer
+        // glow (item 5). One AnalyserNode taps each incoming peer stream;
+        // `inputLevel()` returns the loudest current RMS across them.
+        this._audioCtx = null;
+        this._analysers = {};   // peerId → AnalyserNode
     }
 
+    // ── Incoming-volume equalizer (drives voice-glow's --voice-level) ─────────
+
+    VoiceRoom.prototype._ensureAudioCtx = function () {
+        if (this._audioCtx) return this._audioCtx;
+        var Ctx = window.AudioContext || window.webkitAudioContext;
+        if (!Ctx) return null;
+        try {
+            this._audioCtx = new Ctx();
+            if (this._audioCtx.resume) this._audioCtx.resume();
+        } catch (e) { this._audioCtx = null; }
+        return this._audioCtx;
+    };
+
+    VoiceRoom.prototype._attachAnalyser = function (peerId, stream) {
+        try {
+            var ctx = this._ensureAudioCtx();
+            if (!ctx) return;
+            var src = ctx.createMediaStreamSource(stream);
+            var an = ctx.createAnalyser();
+            an.fftSize = 256;
+            src.connect(an);   // analyser only — playback stays on the <audio> el
+            this._analysers[peerId] = an;
+        } catch (e) { /* analyser is best-effort; glow falls back to a pulse */ }
+    };
+
+    // Loudest current RMS across all peer analysers, scaled to ~0..1 for the
+    // glow (speech RMS is small, so ×3 then clamp). 0 when no analyser/audio.
+    VoiceRoom.prototype.inputLevel = function () {
+        var ids = Object.keys(this._analysers);
+        var max = 0;
+        for (var i = 0; i < ids.length; i++) {
+            var an = this._analysers[ids[i]];
+            if (!an) continue;
+            var buf = new Uint8Array(an.fftSize);
+            an.getByteTimeDomainData(buf);
+            var sum = 0;
+            for (var j = 0; j < buf.length; j++) {
+                var v = (buf[j] - 128) / 128;
+                sum += v * v;
+            }
+            var rms = Math.sqrt(sum / buf.length);
+            if (rms > max) max = rms;
+        }
+        return Math.max(0, Math.min(1, max * 3));
+    };
+
     // ── State-change notification (drives the glow machine) ───────────────────
 
     VoiceRoom.prototype.peerCount = function () {
@@ -95,6 +146,7 @@
                 document.body.appendChild(el);
             }
             el.srcObject = e.streams[0];
+            self._attachAnalyser(peerId, e.streams[0]);
         };
         this.peers[peerId] = pc;
         this._notify();   // a peer joined the mesh
@@ -130,6 +182,7 @@
         if (pc) { try { pc.close(); } catch (e) {} delete this.peers[peerId]; }
         var el = document.getElementById('voice-audio-' + peerId);
         if (el && el.parentNode) el.parentNode.removeChild(el);
+        delete this._analysers[peerId];
         this._notify();   // a peer left the mesh
     };
 
@@ -236,6 +289,11 @@
             this.localStream.getTracks().forEach(function (t) { t.stop(); });
             this.localStream = null;
         }
+        this._analysers = {};
+        if (this._audioCtx) {
+            try { this._audioCtx.close(); } catch (e) {}
+            this._audioCtx = null;
+        }
         this.muted = false;   // a rejoin starts unmuted
         this._notify();       // call ended — back to not-in-call
     };
diff --git a/src/static/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js b/src/static/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js
index b5666c1..d6e62b3 100644
--- a/src/static/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js
+++ b/src/static/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
 
     const hasGlow = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-glow");
     const hasPulse = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-pulse");
-    const hasFast = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-pulse--fast");
+    const hasEq = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-eq");
+    const hasMuted = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-muted");
 
     describe("bindVoiceGlow()", () => {
         it("returns null when the burger btn is absent", () => {
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0 });
             expect(hasGlow(burger)).toBe(true);
             expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(true);
-            expect(hasFast(burger)).toBe(false);
+            expect(hasEq(burger)).toBe(false);
         });
 
         it("pulses the voice sub-btn while alone + fan open", () => {
@@ -113,13 +114,35 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
             expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(false);
         });
 
-        it("doubles the cadence once a 2nd party connects", () => {
+        it("switches to the equalizer once a 2nd party connects", () => {
             vg = bindVoiceGlow();
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 1 });
-            expect(hasFast(burger)).toBe(true);
+            expect(hasEq(burger)).toBe(true);
             expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(false);
         });
 
+        it("recolors to muted (--priRd) when the mic is muted, both alone…", () => {
+            vg = bindVoiceGlow();
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0, muted: true });
+            expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(true);    // still pulsing (alone)
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(true);    // …but in the muted colour
+        });
+
+        it("…and while the equalizer runs with others connected", () => {
+            vg = bindVoiceGlow();
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 2, muted: true });
+            expect(hasEq(burger)).toBe(true);
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it("drops the muted colour on unmute", () => {
+            vg = bindVoiceGlow();
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0, muted: true });
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(true);
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0, muted: false });
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(false);
+        });
+
         it("hands the pulse to whichever surface is showing (fan toggles)", () => {
             vg = bindVoiceGlow();
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0 });
@@ -145,8 +168,8 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
             vg = bindVoiceGlow();
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 1 });
             vg.render(); vg.render();
-            const fastCount = (burger.className.match(/voice-pulse--fast/g) || []).length;
-            expect(fastCount).toBe(1);
+            const eqCount = (burger.className.match(/voice-eq/g) || []).length;
+            expect(eqCount).toBe(1);
         });
     });
 });
diff --git a/src/static/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js b/src/static/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js
index b8e5c09..a031c6c 100644
--- a/src/static/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js
+++ b/src/static/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js
@@ -116,6 +116,18 @@ describe('voice-mesh join guard', function () {
     });
 });
 
+// Equalizer input level — the deterministic edge (no analysers → 0). The
+// volume-reactive readout itself needs a live mesh + real audio to verify.
+describe('voice-mesh inputLevel', function () {
+    it('is 0 when no peer analysers are attached', function () {
+        var vr = window.VoiceRoom;
+        var saved = vr._analysers;
+        vr._analysers = {};
+        expect(vr.inputLevel()).toBe(0);
+        vr._analysers = saved;
+    });
+});
+
 // bindVoiceBtn (burger-btn.js) must surface a failed join + roll back the
 // optimistic in-call state so the next click can retry.
 describe('voice btn join failure surfacing', function () {
diff --git a/src/static_src/scss/_burger.scss b/src/static_src/scss/_burger.scss
index 15b01a7..1aaca88 100644
--- a/src/static_src/scss/_burger.scss
+++ b/src/static_src/scss/_burger.scss
@@ -224,10 +224,34 @@
 #id_burger_btn.voice-pulse {
     animation: voice-pulse 2s ease-in-out infinite;
 }
-// Doubled cadence once a 2nd party is connected.
-#id_voice_btn.voice-pulse--fast,
-#id_burger_btn.voice-pulse--fast {
-    animation: voice-pulse 1s ease-in-out infinite;
+
+// Equalizer — once a 2nd+ party is connected the halo tracks the loudest
+// incoming voice. voice-glow.js feeds `--voice-level` (0..1) each frame off
+// VoiceRoom.inputLevel(); the box-shadow spread + alpha scale with it (no
+// keyframe — the audio drives it). Falls back to a faint steady halo at level 0.
+#id_voice_btn.voice-eq,
+#id_burger_btn.voice-eq {
+    box-shadow:
+        0 0 calc(0.3rem + var(--voice-level, 0) * 1.1rem)
+              calc(0.05rem + var(--voice-level, 0) * 0.45rem)
+              rgba(var(--ninUser), calc(0.3 + var(--voice-level, 0) * 0.6)),
+        0 0 calc(0.6rem + var(--voice-level, 0) * 1.6rem)
+              calc(0.1rem + var(--voice-level, 0) * 0.5rem)
+              rgba(var(--ninUser), calc(0.15 + var(--voice-level, 0) * 0.35));
+}
+
+// Muted = the "disconnected from talking" state (item 7): recolor the lot to
+// --priRd (halo stays --ninUser) + flip the voice sub-btn's icon to .fa-ban.
+// Composes with .voice-pulse (alone) + .voice-eq (others connected) above —
+// only the colour changes; the pulse/equalizer halo shape is shared.
+#id_voice_btn.voice-muted,
+#id_burger_btn.voice-muted {
+    color: rgba(var(--priRd), 1);
+    border-color: rgba(var(--priRd), 1);
+}
+#id_voice_btn.voice-muted {
+    .burger-fan-icon--on  { display: none; }
+    .burger-fan-icon--off { display: inline-block; }
 }
 
 // Burger hides when bud_panel is open — LANDSCAPE only. In portrait the
diff --git a/src/static_src/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js b/src/static_src/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js
index b5666c1..d6e62b3 100644
--- a/src/static_src/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js
+++ b/src/static_src/tests/VoiceGlowSpec.js
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
 
     const hasGlow = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-glow");
     const hasPulse = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-pulse");
-    const hasFast = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-pulse--fast");
+    const hasEq = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-eq");
+    const hasMuted = (el) => el.classList.contains("voice-muted");
 
     describe("bindVoiceGlow()", () => {
         it("returns null when the burger btn is absent", () => {
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0 });
             expect(hasGlow(burger)).toBe(true);
             expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(true);
-            expect(hasFast(burger)).toBe(false);
+            expect(hasEq(burger)).toBe(false);
         });
 
         it("pulses the voice sub-btn while alone + fan open", () => {
@@ -113,13 +114,35 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
             expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(false);
         });
 
-        it("doubles the cadence once a 2nd party connects", () => {
+        it("switches to the equalizer once a 2nd party connects", () => {
             vg = bindVoiceGlow();
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 1 });
-            expect(hasFast(burger)).toBe(true);
+            expect(hasEq(burger)).toBe(true);
             expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(false);
         });
 
+        it("recolors to muted (--priRd) when the mic is muted, both alone…", () => {
+            vg = bindVoiceGlow();
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0, muted: true });
+            expect(hasPulse(burger)).toBe(true);    // still pulsing (alone)
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(true);    // …but in the muted colour
+        });
+
+        it("…and while the equalizer runs with others connected", () => {
+            vg = bindVoiceGlow();
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 2, muted: true });
+            expect(hasEq(burger)).toBe(true);
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it("drops the muted colour on unmute", () => {
+            vg = bindVoiceGlow();
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0, muted: true });
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(true);
+            vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0, muted: false });
+            expect(hasMuted(burger)).toBe(false);
+        });
+
         it("hands the pulse to whichever surface is showing (fan toggles)", () => {
             vg = bindVoiceGlow();
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 0 });
@@ -145,8 +168,8 @@ describe("VoiceGlow", () => {
             vg = bindVoiceGlow();
             vg.setVoiceState({ inCall: true, peerCount: 1 });
             vg.render(); vg.render();
-            const fastCount = (burger.className.match(/voice-pulse--fast/g) || []).length;
-            expect(fastCount).toBe(1);
+            const eqCount = (burger.className.match(/voice-eq/g) || []).length;
+            expect(eqCount).toBe(1);
         });
     });
 });
diff --git a/src/static_src/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js b/src/static_src/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js
index b8e5c09..a031c6c 100644
--- a/src/static_src/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js
+++ b/src/static_src/tests/VoiceMeshSpec.js
@@ -116,6 +116,18 @@ describe('voice-mesh join guard', function () {
     });
 });
 
+// Equalizer input level — the deterministic edge (no analysers → 0). The
+// volume-reactive readout itself needs a live mesh + real audio to verify.
+describe('voice-mesh inputLevel', function () {
+    it('is 0 when no peer analysers are attached', function () {
+        var vr = window.VoiceRoom;
+        var saved = vr._analysers;
+        vr._analysers = {};
+        expect(vr.inputLevel()).toBe(0);
+        vr._analysers = saved;
+    });
+});
+
 // bindVoiceBtn (burger-btn.js) must surface a failed join + roll back the
 // optimistic in-call state so the next click can retry.
 describe('voice btn join failure surfacing', function () {